Duke Webb has run the most successful bail recovery agency in Atlanta for over twenty years. That’s because he has a team of trained, competent hunters backing him up to keep his name feared on the streets. But Duke knows that nothing can go on forever. His hunters are in committed relationships and ready to settle down, and so is he. That’s what leads him to start his new training program.

“That’s the new vision for Dukes. Veterans operating and tracking behind the scenes with a new powerhouse apprehension team on the streets.”

Brian and Quick are the first to offer up two new recruits.

Kellam Knight has studied martial arts under his sensei, Quick, since he was eight years old. A tossed-out reject from high-society, Kell has a problem fighting on the right side of the law. If he sees an injustice, he has to correct it. He doesn’t have to run and cower from his enemies anymore, he’s a fighter who can protect himself and others. When Quick offers Kell the opportunity to join Duke’s training program, he’s all in. Except he’s not prepared for the straight, over-confident, extremely disciplined, sexy man Brian has recruited to be his partner.

Tyrell Jenkins’ world was flipped upside down when his father never returned home from his last deployment. He’d been Ty’s teacher, mentor, his guide to living a righteous life as a good man. His father didn’t raise him to be like every other young, stereotypical male in Atlanta. Instead, he’s been taught to be respectful, to speak the language of real men. When Brian King – his father’s most trusted comrade – finally comes to him with the truth, he doesn’t come alone. He comes with trained men hidden in the shadows… and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a brotherhood unlike any other.

This novel is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone. No cliffhangers.

Ty rode the bus to Cheddar’s apartment in Euclid Court to pick up his package for the morning delivery. Cheddar had texted and told him they had a new customer and it was important that the package be delivered on time. He got off at Sterling Street and headed north. One hand tightly clutched the leather strap of his book bag and the other was tucked into his jacket pocket, his warm fingers resting over cold steel. There was little foot traffic during this time of day, only elderly folk taking leisurely walks, women pushing strollers, delinquents skipping school, and Ty kept his eyes on them all. No one in these neighborhoods was innocent.

“Only trust a few and be wary of most,” his father had told him repeatedly.

A person had to earn Ty’s trust and that wasn’t easy to do. Call it hard lessons learned over many years. He kept his head up, his long legs covering the distance fast. He didn’t like Cheddar’s neighborhood, there was one way in, one way out and Ty hated limited options. Slowing just a bit, he felt before he heard the rumble of a powerful car engine easing down Candler—the same one he’d seen when he’d been at Sharains’—its dark tinted windows making it impossible to see who or even how many people were inside. Ty’s hair rose on the back of his neck and his heartrate picked up a few extra beats as he slowed his pace, not wanting to appear shook. The car rolled to the stop sign and Ty crossed at the intersection with the few other pedestrians. He could feel eyes on him, but he didn’t turn his head to see as the engine revved and the car turned in the same direction he was walking then slowed just ahead, pulling against the curb. He didn’t know who the hell that was, but he wasn’t about to wait and find out. His father didn’t raise no fool. Ty dropped behind a couple of men just as the MARTA bus pulled up to the stop. As soon as the doors swung open, he darted up the steps before anyone else could even get off. He hurried to the middle and dropped down into a seat, pulling his collar up higher, turning to look out the window. He was glad no one could see how wide his eyes got when the driver’s door opened, and a man dressed in head-to-toe black and built like a brick shithouse eased out of the jet-black Mustang. He stared across the street, his eyes the color of charcoal scanning the crowd Ty had been walking behind, before his head jerked toward the MARTA already pulling away from the curb. There was no way in hell the dark man could see him on the bus, but he still squinted at it and turned up one side of his mouth as if he knew he’d been duped and climbed back into his car.

Settle. Ty brought his hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking long breaths to calm his mind. His brain was trying to go into hyper-drive. For over ten years Ty had to live in Atlanta’s slums so he could stack his money the best he could without hurting anyone. And he’d never made an enemy, had always stayed off the radar. Then suddenly out of nowhere it looked like the Grim Reaper himself was on his ass.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A.E. (Adrienne) Via has been a best-selling author in gay romance for five years now, but she’s no stranger to MM. She’s been an avid reader of gay lit for over twenty years before she picked up her laptop to place her own kiss on this beautiful genre. She’s also the founder and owner of Via Star Wings Books, having published a couple of great new up and coming MM authors.

A.E. has a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Virginia Wesleyan College that she used to start her own paralegal firm after she graduated in 2008. She spent five years preparing and filing bankruptcy petitions for struggling blue collar workers who couldn’t afford to file with a lawyer. It was a rewarding and satisfying career… but another path called to me. Writing.

A.E.’s writing embodies everything from hopelessly romantic to adventure, to scandalous. Her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.

Now that she’s gotten over her 10 books published hump, she’s kind of known now for her play rough and love hard, bad boy, alphas. However, I do like to push myself to step out of my comfort zone and explore with different tropes, but I never push myself into a whole other genre. I’m head over heels for gay romance and I have tons of more hot stories to tell.

Be sure to visit Adrienne on her social media pages and subscribe to her newsletter to never miss another release date! https://goo.gl/GbfCyk or Go to A.E. Via’s official website http://authoraevia.com for more detailed information on how to contact her, follow her, or a sneak peek on upcoming work, free reads, VSWB submissions, and where she’ll appear next.

Sometimes you must fall before you can fly free.Despite having had a rough life, Seth has a big heart. After spending nearly ten years sleeping rough on the streets of New York, he’s managed to get himself freelance work and a place to live. But his new-found security is about to be torn apart, as the horrors of his past come back to haunt him in the worst possible way.Dante was sent to watch over a young Seth when his mother died. As an angel, he had many rules to follow. The most important of which was to never fall in love—especially when it involves a human who is your charge. For the last ten years, Dante has kept his feelings for Seth hidden. That is until the night Seth’s past catches up with him.When Seth is murdered, their destinies are changed forever. Feelings and emotions come to the surface, but will the rules that govern the afterlife keep Dante and Seth apart for eternity, or will they be able to find their happily ever after together?

Seth kept the last cup of coffee, now barely lukewarm, for the man who always sat alone, distant from the rest. There was something about him that mesmerized Seth in a way he couldn’t describe. It was probably the man’s eyes, which were a vivid shade of blue that pierced even the darkest night. He sat on the same bench every night, huddled in a tatty black trench coat.“Seth.” Blue Eyes nodded his thanks as he wrapped his hands around the cup Seth handed to him.“It’s not very warm, I’m afraid.”Blue Eyes shrugged, never taking his gaze off Seth as he sipped the coffee. His dark hair fell to his shoulders in waves, framing his handsome face. His olive skin tone made him appear healthier than the rest, although Seth was reasonably sure that was deceptive. A short beard and mustache helped further define his broad chin and sculpted cheekbones. Seth thought to ask his name, but couldn’t convince the question to leave his lips.He was always like that around Blue Eyes: tongue-tied and awkward. The man was incredibly gorgeous, and Seth couldn’t help but be physically attracted to him. Maybe in another lifetime, under very different circumstances, he would have the confidence to ask Blue Eyes more about himself; discover the mysteries sparkling in the depths of his eyes. But things were what they were and showing interest in the man was wholly inappropriate. So, instead of asking Blue Eyes his name, he uttered a goodbye and turned to go.

Carra's Review

First, I must mention how much I love the cover for this book. It fits very well with the story, and was striking enough to interest me for the story before I even read the synopsis. Once I started reading, I immediately took a liking to both Seth and Dante.

Seth is a character for whom it’s easy to feel with his past and with the circumstances in which he finds himself due to something he observed as a teen. It’s also easy to empathize with Dante—after watching over Seth for so long and developing feelings for him, you can’t help but want to cheer them on for a happy ending. Once Seth dies and things start to get weird, it makes things a lot more complicated.

I found myself on the fence about Killian, another angel, as well as Cal, someone Seth helped while he was alive but who also comes into play one he’s dead. Both of them irritated me for different reasons. Killian it was his frankly immature plays at seducing Dante, especially when Dante keeps outright telling him no. That Killian kept going there, and that Dante kept letting it get to him was a bit aggravating. With Cal, the feeling was more elusive, it’s hard to say more without getting spoiler-y.

There were some inconsistencies in the story, and some points were repetitive when going from Seth’s point of view to Dante’s and vice versa since things were reiterated as each character went back over things. But there’s enough going on to still keep readers’ attention while they work on taking down the bad guy (the Doctor).

Fans of paranormal M/M romance will want to check out For You I Fall, and for me this hovered between 3.5 and 4 stars (so let’s split the difference for 3.75). It does have my interest piqued for more in the series, so I’ll be checking out the next book to see where the authors take things. This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.

About the Authors

T.N. Nova

T.N. Nova, Terri to her husband and Blazing Zane to her daughter, is the author of contemporary and paranormal gay romance. She's lived in the desert southwest all of her adult life, most recently in Phoenix.Her guilty pleasures are Minecraft, music, geeky stuff, diet Dr. Pepper, and all things Thor and Loki. She's addicted, so now you know how to bribe her.

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairy tale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

Alex is about to turn eighteen and is firmly in the closet. He’s been biding his time, waiting to escape to uni, and finally come out away from the oppressive influence of his homophobic father. When he flunks his exams, he’s stuck in the small town of Porthladock—and what’s worse is that he’s working for his dad. The only thing that makes it bearable is Cam.

Cam’s comfortable with his bisexuality, but he doesn’t broadcast it. Young, free, and single, his social life revolves around playing rugby and hanging out with his mates. He’s attracted to Alex, but with the six-year age gap, Cam’s wary of getting involved. Plus, he thinks Alex needs a friend more than he needs a lover, and as their friendship grows, Cam decides he’s not willing to risk ruining it for casual sex.

When Alex’s dad finds out about his sexuality, Alex is suddenly both jobless and homeless. He finds work at Rainbow Place, the local LGBT-friendly café and Cam lets Alex stay in his flat for a while. But Alex would rather be sleeping in Cam’s bed than on his sofa. With them both living under one roof, their feelings for each other grow stronger, and the sexual tension is hard to ignore. Will giving in to it ruin their friendship and complicate things for Alex even more?

Although this book is part of a linked series, it has a satisfying happy ending, and can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Oliver and Samuel’s relationship is fairy-tale perfect. They share a gorgeous house in Antwerp, go out with their friends every weekend, and count down the days to their dream wedding. But their happy ending is shattered one late night, and just like that, Ollie is left bereft and alone.

The months that follow are long and dark, but slowly Ollie emerges from his grief. He even braves the waters of online dating, though deep down he doesn’t believe he can find that connection again. He doesn’t think to look for love right in front of him: his bisexual friend Thomas, the gentle giant with a kind heart and sad eyes who’s wanted him all along.

When Thomas suddenly discovers he has a son who needs him, he’s ill prepared. Ollie opens up his house—Sam’s house—and lets them in. Ollie doesn’t know what scares him more: the responsibility of caring for a baby, or the way Thomas is steadily winning his heart. It will take all the courage he has to discover whether or not fairy tales can happen for real.

Carra's Review

This book pushed every emotional button I have and for most of the first half of the story I was in tears. The fact that the author could evoke such a response from me already had me loading up all the stars for this book right at the start. What Oliver went through losing Sam the way he did was beyond devastating, and while I was enchanted by the two of them from the beginning of the book, my heart was leaping from my chest to wrap Oliver up once the unthinkable had occurred.

Watching as Oliver gets back to work, his friends, and just his life in general is painful at times but there are also points of hope. Through it all his friends are there for him, and in particular Thomas—who has loved him for ages, but while Oliver was with Sam there was nothing to act upon. Things between Oliver and Thomas develop quite slowly, and there always seem to be obstacles in their way either on Oliver’s side or on Thomas’s. Suffice to say their path is not at all straight (no pun intended), and just when you think they might be able to try something else gets in the way.

But even once that way is clear, there’s just one more tiny thing that comes up. Only it’s not so tiny at all (other than physical size) when Thomas finds out he has a child. Talk about obstacles…but even this can’t stop the growing connection between Oliver and Thomas, and it felt so good to see their relationship finally get the chance to develop. To be honest, given the incredibly powerful emotional impact of Oliver and Sam’s connection and everything that happened, it was a bit harder to feel quite as strongly with Oliver and Thomas. Don’t get me wrong—Oliver and Thomas were amazing together, it’s just hard to follow a matchup as intense as what Oliver had with Sam and have another relationship measure up the same.

There were some points when the story did feel just the slightest bit drawn out. Also, I wasn’t happy with Sam’s parents (his father in particular) and what they were trying to do, though I do see how it played its part in the story. They came across as insensitive (mostly Sam’s father), and things never felt fully resolved with them.

In the end, Patchwork Paradise was a 4.5-star read for me, and since this was the first book I’ve read by this author I’m now looking forward to checking out her backlist as soon as possible. I do highly recommend this story to M/M romance fans, especially if you’re a fan of hurt/comfort and friends to lovers stories; just be sure to keep a filled box of tissues handy, at least to get you through the first half of the book. This story is meant for readers 18+ for adult language, dealing with the grief of losing a loved one, and some sexual content.

Author Bio

After living in Michigan, USA for seven wonderful years, Indra Vaughn returned back to her Belgian roots. There she will continue to consume herbal tea, do yoga wherever the mat fits, and devour books while single parenting a little boy and working as a nurse.

Rob runs to Crooked Tree determined to find a safe place for his nephews. A family for them is the final thing on his list, and then he can vanish completely. Falling for a local paramedic along the way is a disaster in Rob’s otherwise perfect plans.

Paramedic Aaron, the middle of five brothers, would like someone to love. A great believer in fate he is convinced though, that one day he’ll find someone. He just never thought it would be a man in so much pain, or that children would be part of the package.

Rob is ready to leave. Aaron wants him to stay. Their love has an expiry date, and it’s tearing them apart. Can they find a way to save what they have?

The Final book in the Montana Series

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Rob Brady knew three things. His sister was dead, he was the guardian to her two boys, and he was stuck in Hell.

And why am I fixating on Hell?

Oh yeah, the room, the kids, the crushing grief of absolutely f*cking everything.

If Hell was a small, airless room with no windows, a flickering light, and two utterly silent children staring at him as if he’d personally murdered their mother.

Oh, and a thin-lipped woman from Child Protection Services looking at him the same way.

Of course, he hadn't killed his sister because he only ever took out the bad guys. With ruthless efficiency, he’d carved out the poison in the US and kept its citizens safe. Most people would’ve described him as an assassin, but he was more than that; the last resort when normal lines of defense failed.

At least, he used to be until he caught a bullet things went pear-shaped.

“How long have they been on their own?” Rob Brady didn’t know what else to ask. He wanted to be angry with the DCFS but how could he be? Instead, he wavered between anger and guilt, and it was guilt that was winning.

“Mr. Brady, they were never on their own.”

“My sister—” He stopped talking when he realized he was just about to state how long ago his sister died when her children were sitting right there in the room. Lowering his tone, he then turned to Sylvia from the DCFS, efficient and steady, and just ever so slightly pissed at him. “A year. They’ve been on their own a year.”

Sylvia inhaled sharply and clutched her folders to her chest.

“And for a little less than that, we have tried to track down their uncle and been unable to find anything.”

“I know. I get that.” Anyone trying to find him would reach several dead-ends whichever way they went. First of all the navy and his time in the SEALs, then when he joined the team combatting mainland terrorism. At every turn, his existence was classified, and in the end, he'd become nothing more than a ghost. “That isn't my point.”

Sylvia tapped a finger on the files in a steady rhythm. “Then please, can you enlighten me as to what exactly is your point?”

He opened the door and gestured for her to go into the hallway, following her out and shutting it behind them. He had questions and didn’t want to ask them in front of his nephews.

“Why has no one adopted them? Why don’t they have a forever home with a new family?”

“Because your sister’s intention was that you would take the boys. It’s explicitly stated in every legal form we have, and it was her dying wish.”

“But she couldn’t have known I would ever come back. Or that I was even alive…” He floundered for something to say. He’d come back to town on the off chance he’d see what was left of his extended family from a distance, and instead, he’d learned his sister was dead, after losing a battle with cancer, that there was no father in the picture, and that his nephews were in the system.

“Nonetheless, they are legally your responsibility. Given you worked so hard to get authorization from Governor Chilton, something I’ve never seen before, along with psych evals that no normal person would have access to, you are now in a position to leave with your nephews.”

The minute he’d heard about the boys, he'd realized he needed to get things done. He’d called in favors, had people who owed him create a backstory so tight he seemed like Mother f*cking Teresa, and now he was here. His nephews needed a home, and he thought on his feet because he only had another three good months to put anything in place for them. He wanted them looked after, safe, and so he had one more mission before leaving. He’d have to delay spending his last weeks on a beach in Aruba, sipping cocktails and sleeping with anything that moved.

“I can take them today?” he asked. A small, hesitant part of him wanted her to say no, that there were more details to be ironed out.

“Yes.”

“Now?”

“Yes.” She pursed her lips as if it were against her better judgment. But he'd passed all the checks, and the references were sound, he had the governor's endorsement. It was done.

“Okay then.”

He pushed back into the room. Bran, the older of his two nephews, stared at him steadily. Toby, the youngest, sniffled and gripped his brother hard. Any ordinary uncle would’ve hugged them close and told them everything was going to be okay. But he wasn't a regular uncle, and he swore Bran knew that because there was accusation in his eyes.

You don’t even know us; he seemed to be saying.

Was it right for Rob to be taking them from their new foster home? They’d been placed with a family currently fostering six kids, and on the surface, everything seemed okay. He’d done his due diligence, and the parents checked out, but there was a weird vibe in the house, a rule of fear, and he didn’t like it.

He’d stayed alive this long by listening to his instinct, and his gut told him he should take Bran and Toby, that he was the boys’ kin. He also knew where he could find them a better home. In the mountains, with rivers and horses, and a whole group of people who would look out for them.

“Everything will be okay.” Was he reassuring himself or the boys?

If anyone who knew him had seen he was being handed two children to take care of, they'd call the cops.

Of course, he could handle the cops. He’d done it before, but the kids would slow him down. Unless he strapped them to his back and—

“Mr. Brady?”

Sylvia talked to him, or at him, and from her expression, she wasn't impressed he'd stopped listening.

“Sorry, say again?” He glanced at Toby who was sniffling harder and snuggling deeper into his brother. I should go to Toby and…

And what?

Do what? Say what? Scare the kid rigid by being all up in his face?

“We need an address for our records. Unless you reside with Governor Chilton?” The last she added sarcastically.

Oh yeah, a house, an address, he probably needed those. He’d managed to fool them with his credentials so far, and the recommendation he'd gotten from the governor for a favor owed had cut through the red tape. The address was easy; it was the only place he had on his to-do list, the one where the kids could maybe have a home. He just needed to hire a lawyer, update his will, get Justin to agree to his proposal, and he'd be able to leave without any worries.

“Crooked Tree Ranch, outside of Helena, Montana.”

About the Author

RJ’s goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.

RJ is the author of the over one hundred novels and discovered romance in books at a very young age. She realized that if there wasn’t romance on the page, she could create it in her head, and is a lifelong writer.

She lives and works out of her home in the beautiful English countryside, spends her spare time reading, watching films, and enjoying time with her family.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit and has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers. Please contact via the following links below:

Synopsis

Derek Vaughn is a little too serious. He’s a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But he’s determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. He’s going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team… also known as his nemesis.

Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. He’s not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isn’t going to announce his sexuality. But he can’t deny there’s something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if they’re about to lose it all in the deep.

Purchase at Amazon

Excerpt

Maybe I just needed a good night’s sleep. It had been a long day. And a weird one. I could never have dreamed up a scenario featuring Gabe Chadwick in my house after this morning. But here he was. I gave him a thorough once-over as he walked into the kitchen. And again, the first thing that crossed my mind was, “Wow, he’s really f*cking hot.” “Nice place.” “Thanks. Do you want some water or something?” I asked, awkwardly pointing at the fridge. “No, thanks. I’ve had enough tonight,” Gabe replied with a laugh. I should have said good-bye then and escorted him to the door, but I had a strong desire to keep him talking and maybe dispel the weird admiring thoughts going through my brain. Yes, Gabe was a good-looking guy, but I shouldn’t be fixating on his long eyelashes and the way the kitchen light framed him in a halo of sorts. I couldn’t let him go until my brainwaves returned to normal, and he was the same annoyingly smart and talented opponent I’d played against occasionally for years. The thing was, I didn’t really know him and at that moment, I wanted to. “Where do you live?” I asked. “About fifteen minutes away. I scored an apartment by campus. I have one roommate. Brent’s a volleyball player. We might get a third to cut expenses, but I don’t want to share a room, so that’ll be up to him.” “Sharing a room gets old fast. Evan and I knew we wanted to live together, but I’d probably smother him in his sleep if I had to listen to him snoring every night a few feet away from me,” I said in a lame-ass effort to keep him talking. Gabe chuckled. “That would be rough. Evan seems like a cool guy. Is he as neat as you? This house is spotless.” “No, that’s all me. I can’t help it. I have a thing about order. Evan’s a slob. You should see his room. At least he tries in shared spaces. I don’t bug him about his unmade bed, scattered clothes, and random dishes he leaves on his nightstand as long as he keeps the bathroom and kitchen tidy. He’s been on the receiving end of a couple of classic Vaughn meltdowns,” I said with a self-deprecating shrug. “A Vaughn meltdown,” Gabe repeated. “That must be a version of what I experienced this morning when you tried to drown me.” “F*ck off.” I laughed, then looked away quickly when a rush of heat flooded my cheeks. Oh, my God. Please don’t let me blush. Not now. He’ll know something’s wrong with me.Gabe stepped closer to me and cocked his head. “Are you blushing?”

Great. “I don’t blush.” “Whatever you say.” He winked and gave me a mischievous smile that turned me inside out. This couldn’t be happening.

Meet the Author

Lane Hayes is finally doing what she loves best. Writing! An avid reader from an early age, Lane has always been drawn to romance novels. She truly believes there is nothing more inspiring than a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Lane discovered the M/M genre a fews ago and was instantly hooked. She is the bestselling author of the Better Than, Right and Wrong, A Kind of Stories and Leaning Into series. Lane's novels placed first in the 2016 and 2017 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in an empty nest.

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